travel physical therapy blog Archives

While we have always traveled as a pair, most travel therapists actually travel solo! We are excited to share a guest post from Traveling Occupational Therapist Morgan Lauchnor, who travels on her own. We hope her insights will help give you the confidence to pursue this path on your own as well if you think it’s right for you!

When looking into travel therapy, the ability to travel with a spouse, significant other, or with friends sounds like the ideal situation, but often times this isn’t an option for some people. That shouldn’t prevent you from still deciding to try out travel therapy though! In fact, a good majority of travel therapists are solo travelers. Some people, like myself, even wanted to travel solo. Venturing into it on your own might seem daunting and scary, but it can also be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. The world is way too big and life is too short to wait around for someone to go with you on this opportunity of a lifetime!

Benefits of Traveling Solo

Enhances Independence & Empowerment

Any time you follow your dreams, go after what you want, and face your fears, it’s going to be the most empowering feeling. Solo travel is the definition of freedom, independence, and living life on your own terms.

Builds Self-Confidence

Taking the leap to go into the unknown on your own is brave. There is so much growth that comes from pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, and there’s nothing that pushes you outside your perceived limits quite like traveling solo, because you really have no choice but to handle whatever challenges get thrown your way. You develop a ‘can-do’ attitude and become more relaxed and comfortable figuring things out on your own. And not just in the cities you travel, but any new job assignments you take on.

Gives You Total Freedom

On your own, you have the freedom to choose the states/cities where you want to take assignments. You also get to decide how you spend your weekdays, weekends, and everything in between, without worrying about disappointing or negotiating with other people. In traveler pairs, it often limits options because you have to find places that will accommodate both of you, and they might not want to go/explore the same places that you do.

Boosts Your Problem-Solving Creativity

Traveling rarely goes smoothly or according to plan: cars get flat tires, assignments get cancelled, you get lost (a lot in my case). It’s all a part of the solo adventure and the stories you’ll share of how you got through. The best stories never come from the things that went smoothly, right? And as healthcare professionals, we are creative problem solvers for our patients, so this skill can be carried with us into our practice as well.

Fosters Self-Discovery

Traveling solo is the best way to get to know yourself. Exploring new places and new cultures, outside your comfort zone, figuring things out on your own, you discover just how much you’re capable of.

Challenges of Traveling Solo & How to Overcome Them:

Being Alone/Lonely

One of my first assumptions as a solo traveler was that I would be on my own most of the time, especially since my first assignment was all the way across the country in a state where I knew no one. But once I was out there, I realized there are SO many opportunities to meet people. I ended up being surrounded by friends and mentors, some becoming lifelong friends. I also always try to take advantage of visiting any family/friends nearby who I might not ever get the chance to see otherwise.

Ways to meet people:

Doing things with co-workers outside of work: There might be other travelers at your assignment that will go on adventures with you, or you might get to know the perm workers who are typically great assets to show you around your new city/give you tips on the best spots!
Connect through apps and social media: Travel therapy/nursing Facebook groups, following other travelers and travel therapy companies on Instagram, and apps like MedVenture, designed specifically for connecting with other traveling healthcare professionals, are all great ways to find people in your area and also to just have a supportive community to lean on.
Get involved with local organizations and community groups.
Just get out and explore the area! (This was a lot easier to do before the pandemic, but hopefully now that there’s a vaccine and more things are opening, this will be more of an option again)

Another thing to consider if you’re worried about feeling lonely is bringing a pet with you on your travels! I got a puppy while on assignment in CA, and she’s now traveled with me to TX and NC as well. It definitely makes things a little more challenging, but I can’t imagine the travel life without her anymore!

To learn more about traveling with a pet, check out this post.

Safety

This has never been an issue for me personally, but it’s always something to keep in mind traveling by yourself, especially for female solo travelers. Before committing to a new assignment, research the area to see if it is somewhere you’d feel comfortable living, look into the housing options available to make sure you’d feel safe, and always trust your gut if something feels off. When you’re on assignment, tell people where you’re going, bring mace with you on hikes and while out exploring, and ask the locals of places to go and if there are areas to avoid.

Boredom

Sometimes you might live and work in areas that are rural or with limited things to do. In cases like this, I focus a lot on hobbies and things I wish I had more time for—like CEUs, reading, cooking, planning future travels, blogging, etc. But ultimately, you’re choosing where you want to work, so if you’re someone who needs to be doing things and wants to be around people, consider choosing assignments that are in busier locations.

Costs

Traveling alone can definitely be more costly than traveling as a pair, since you are the sole provider. Housing is usually one of the biggest costs that you incur as a solo traveler. One way you can cut down on housing costs would be to consider living with roommates. Traveling therapist/nursing pages are a great way to reach out to people in the area to see if anyone is interested in splitting housing costs, or ask your supervisor if any of your coworkers have a room for rent or are looking for a roommate. This can also be another great way to meet people and have people to do things with!

Summary

Ultimately, I truly believe that the pros of traveling solo far outweigh the cons. If it’s in your heart to do travel therapy, don’t be afraid to take the leap. There’s a whole community of other travelers out there who are here to support you and help you along the way!

Even if you go for it and it doesn’t work out, you still win. You still had the guts enough to head straight into something that frightened you. That type of bravery will take you places.

About Morgan

I’m a traveling occupational therapist who started right out of school as a new grad. Originally from eastern PA, I got my Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from the University of Pittsburgh and went on to get my Masters in Occupational Therapy degree from the University of St. Augustine in St. Augustine, FL in 2019. I was introduced to travel therapy at a job fair there and knew right then that’s what I wanted to do. I completed my fieldwork rotations in Greenville, SC and St. Louis, MO, so I already felt like I was traveling before taking the leap. But once I did start my official travel therapy journey, I road tripped cross-country from PA to OR to begin my first travel assignment in Ashland, OR and have been traveling ever since! I’ve now been on five assignments in OR, CA, TX, and currently NC, and my pup Zoey has traveled with me since CA. We love exploring new cities, getting outside any chance we can, visiting breweries and wineries, and meeting the best people along the way!

If you’d like to connect, the best way to contact me is through social media: Instagram: @zoandmo_onthego or through email at mlauchnor@gmail.com. I am also currently in the process of starting a blog, The ChrOnic WanderlusTer, so keep your eye out for that soon!

We love to share unique travel therapist stories, so today we’re bringing you Marcela’s story about working as a Travel PT in the US Virgin Islands! We’d like to note that it’s not very common to see travel therapy contracts in the Virgin Islands, and most travel staffing companies do not staff in the Virgin Islands. But on rare occasion you might see a job opportunity pop up there! If so, hopefully Marcela’s insights can help you learn what to expect from a contract there!

Good day, you guys!

My name is Marcela and I’ve been a Physical Therapist for 7 years and a Travel PT for 5 years. I went to PT school in Virginia– the same school that Whitney went to actually! I’ve worked in multiple settings including acute care, skilled nursing facilities, home health, and outpatient. So far, I’ve worked in Virginia, Texas, and St Thomas. In this article, I want to share the details about my assignment in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands with you all since it’s a unique contract location!

How Did I Land an Assignment in the US Virgin Islands?!

It was pretty simple really, but mostly by luck and good timing! One day while scrolling on Facebook, I saw a job posting on the Facebook group Travel Therapy Job Opportunities for an outpatient PT assignment in St. Thomas. It was with a company and recruiter that I had never worked with before. I reached out to the recruiter, set up a phone interview with the clinic manager a few days later, and got the assignment!

The Licensure Process

My next step was to get my USVI PT license, which I didn’t know at the time is infamous for taking a really long time. I’ve heard of one PTA that took 6 months to get his license! Upon signing the contract for the assignment, I was given the contact information of an island PT, Erin, who has a side business of helping people expedite their USVI PT licensure. At the time, Erin charged $1,000 — but it was absolutely worth every penny! She helped me get my license in only 4 weeks. At different times in the process, she was able to go into the licensing office and figure out what was slowing down my licensing application. She truly did shorten the whole ordeal, as I had a few snags which were totally out of my control. Without her help, it easily would have taken 6+ weeks, and the clinic in St Thomas was holding a spot for me which I did not want to miss out on! If you need help getting your USVI license expedited, you can contact Erin at: erindavidson13@gmail.com.

Housing on Island

While Erin was working hard for 4 weeks to help me with the licensure process, I then turned my attention to finding housing. I usually find cheap furnished housing by renting a room in a home for my travel assignments. I am okay with cheap housing and living with others, as I’d rather spend my money in other categories. Well, unfortunately for this assignment, I quickly found out the islands are not a place for cheap housing. Almost all places cater towards tourists, so you’re going to get tourist prices. Expect to pay about $2,000/month or more if you want a clean place with the amenities you’re used to on the mainland. My landlady is currently not renting rooms anymore, so I sadly don’t have any current housing leads to share.

I want to add something else about housing that will be very important to know. The USVI has one utility company and its infrastructure is dated. In 2017, two category 5 hurricanes, Irma and Maria, hit the islands and further damaged the already struggling infrastructure of the utility company. Because of this, it’s very common to lose power on island. One week I was there, we were without power for 30 hours. If you’re there during hurricane season, just assume you won’t have power for a while after a storm. I grew up close to the Southern US coast and have experience living through hurricanes and without power before. You either have to be okay with living like this or willing to pay extra to stay at a place that has a backup generator.

My PT Contract

I ended up working for 4 months on island at this contract. It was a private practice outpatient PT clinic. I had the opportunity to work a schedule of 4, 10 hour days each week, which was great for having 3 day weekends and being able to explore. As far as pay, the pay tends to be a bit on the lower end than what I’ve seen for mainland contracts. But it’s kind of like taking an assignment in Hawaii: you don’t go there for the pay, you go for the experience! And contracts in Hawaii usually tend to pay on the lower end as well. In addition to my weekly pay, I did also receive reimbursement for my flight to the island.

Insights on Island Living

Public Transportation

St Thomas does have public transportation, but the route is limited. The type of public transport is called a “safari” which is essentially a diesel pickup truck with covered open-air benches in the back. It’s a great way to assimilate with the local culture and enjoy the wind. But like with all public transportation: be patient (haha)! The hours are limited and so are the locations to which they travel. St Thomas is very rocky, so the safaris don’t go up the hills. If you plan to live up a hill, you’ll have to get a car or walk a distance to get to a safari. I did not want to have a car on island, so I relied heavily on safaris, walking, and taking taxis.

Resources

Another thing to take into consideration is that you’re living on an island that does not have the same resources that the mainland does. Lots of things are imported and therefore the cost of food and other supplies reflects that. The islands also don’t have the same variety that the mainland does in terms of resources. But, you should totally enjoy the food that the islands do have to offer. If you eat local food, it greatly helps! Plus, you get to eat all kinds of tasty fruits, juices, and sea food!

The People

Many people in the Caribbean like to call themselves West Indians. West Indians are probably the nicest people I have ever encountered. Once you learn the proper way to greet in the Caribbean, people will easily give you directions, help you with a ride, and share food with you. It’s truly a village mindset. Everyone’s also on “island time” there, so don’t expect anyone to be prompt. Haha. As patients, they have been the best population I’ve ever worked with. They are respectful and hard working. I often found myself telling them to stop doing extra sets to allow their bodies to rest.

The good stuff!

Now onto the super fun stuff about living and working in the Virgin Islands!

The beaches are to die for! Sand so white it glitters, water you can see straight down into for yards, sunsets you can frame, waves so calm you can soak and float, and water activities for everyone! Snorkeling, kayaking, waterskiing, parasailing, regular sailing, yachting, scuba diving, sea planes, and hiking! (I know, not a water activity but would be a shame to not list). Each island has its own vibe, so visiting all three major USVI islands is required. And many more islands in the archipelago are also worth visiting! Depending on which island you’d like to visit, most can be reached by boat/ferry, but some of the further islands require private boat or a flight.

If you think you can handle life in the islands, then I recommend trying to get an assignment there. If interested, I can give you the name of the recruiter I used. You can reach me here via Facebook.

We’d like to thank Marcela for sharing her insights with us about her travel therapy contract in the US Virgin Islands! Please feel free to contact Marcela via Facebook or message us with any questions!

Tag: travel physical therapy blog

Being a Solo Travel Therapist